A contribuição da comunicação nos processos de transferência de tecnologias nas universidades: o caso da UFMG

Abstract

Universities play an important role in the economic and social development of nations. Research and education institutions have become important actors in the National System of Innovation. However, considering that university-to-business interactions are still weak in Brazil, the present study analyzes the contribution of Communication as a strategic area in technology transfer processes, especially regarding the offer of technologies to the business sector. In this sense, the study involved three actions: (1) analysis of the technology transfer process dynamics at the Technology Transfer and Innovation Coordination - CTIT, the Innovation Office of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, using case studies; (2) analysis of how the most important Brazilian and international universities display their technology portfolio on the internet, using innovation rankings; and finally, (3) analysis of "whether and how" the entrepreneurs, target audience of these efforts, would like to receive these technological offers. Our results show that the use of Communication as a strategic tool to increase technology transferring is not very common at the Innovation Office of UFMG. In addition, there is a lack of demand analysis in Brazilian universities, regarding the offer of technologies on the internet, which is a common practice in international universities. As to the survey that was sent to the business sector, there was a good receptiveness to the offer of academic technologies. This receptiveness can be an index for the Union, States and Municipalities (according to the amendments of Article 85 of the Federal Constitution) to propose new policies that would encourage companies to interact with universities, leading to the improvement of the National Innovation System.